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I attended the Suisun City Planning Commission meeting concerning the Wal-Mart project for Highway 12 and Walters Road ("Wal-Mart gets nod in Suisun," The Reporter, Jan. 30). I listened to what the members of the public had to say when supporting the project. The comments were that they wanted convenience of shopping in their hometown and they wanted tax revenue to pay for our services. I would like that, too; however, at what cost? At the start of the meeting, Wal-Mart indicated it gave money to the YMCA, but how much? It is reported that the net worth of the Wal-Mart founder's family is $82.5 billion, and the company gave away only 2 percent of that in 2006. Compare that with Bill and Melinda Gates whose net worth is $53 billion and who gave away 53 percent of it. Wal-Mart is not our long-term savior. Look at all of the Web sites that tell how Wal-Mart has devastated communities. Wal-Mart takes far more than it gives. The supporters said it would not bring crime, but did you pay Fairfield police $43 for a "calls for service" report about the proposed Wal-Mart location? I did. It took them a month to get it to me because it was so big. My question is: When our police are busy at the Wal-Mart, who will be watching my neighborhood? I was disheartened by the Planning Commission meeting. I felt the commissioners had some good questions, such as about Wal-Mart truck drivers staying overnight and running their trucks all night. However, when Wal-Mart answered with, "They have an option to stay in hotels," the next question should have been "Well, will they stay in hotels?" Instead, it was dropped. One commissioner was worried about the safety of pedestrians on Highway 12 and Walters. She did not get full answers. Why did the commission stop asking questions? I think they, too, were afraid of losing their jobs after seeing our City Council running amuck trying to get the opposition fired. Lastly, do City Council members, especially Mike Hudson, really know where that pipeline is? If they did not think it was a concern, then why did they just recently question the creditability of Carl Weimer from the Pipeline Safety Trust? Supporters, do your homework and be careful of what you wish for. Laura Calderon Suisun City
Recent reports and letters regarding my Airport Land Use Commission service need some correction. The idea that I apply my own "personal" views and disregard "expert" opinions offered during deliberations is just not accurate. For the Wal-Mart proposal on Walters Road, the information given to the ALUC by Suisun City was simply beyond belief. Here is just one example of the flawed analysis by Suisun City. In the Travis land use plan, there is a sample calculation for a 2-story office building that uses 1.5 persons per car to illustrate how to make density calculations for proposed projects. Incredibly, Suisun lifted this 1.5 number from the sample to help justify its proposal. Not only was the 1.5 persons per car just an example, thus used wholly out of context, but it is simply preposterous to equate a 2-story office building calculation with that for a retail superstore. Who wouldn't conclude this "expert" data is phony? There are nearly a dozen areas of concern from the ALUC, like this one, detailed in a letter hand delivered to Suisun City on December 17, 2007. I can assure everyone that I do my utmost to give fair consideration to the information presented by staff. However, I am not fooled when "experts" defy common sense or fail at sixth grade math. John Foster Fairfield
Suisun City Council had a meeting on the Wal-Mart SuperCenter project and the comment cards the public was allowed to hand in were stolen or misplaced. We were told by city officials that a police report was filed. Now the City Council appears to be planning to fire the chairman of the Airport Land Use Commission, which decided that the Wal-Mart project was inconsitent with its plans as it encroaches on Travis Air Force Base. As a 20-year resident of Suisun City, I am concerned that the base could be put on the federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission's list for closure. The Suisun City Council must honor the integrity of the Airport Land Use Commissions decision. I'm told there are some 25,000 veterans living in Solano County who would be affected by the base's closure, and it is the largest employer in the county. The mayor and council appear to have their eyes closed to anything that says this project is wrong for that location. I just don't know how they could have it on their conscience if they killed Travis Air Force Base. We thought stolen comment cards and people getting fired for speaking out only happened in Third-World countries. We should have government by the people, not by corporations. Angelo Cellini Suisun City
Reporter Editor: The mission of the Suisun Citizens League is to advocate for Suisun City residents. After much study, we have found that the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter is not appropriate for the Walter's Road project. The city of Suisun has scheduled another public hearing on the Wal-Mart Supercenter. This is a chance for residents to voice their opinions on whether they desire a 220,000-square-foot Supercenter in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The local Wal-Mart on Chadbourne Road in Fairfield is located away from residential development. It is also sufficiently far enough from Travis Air Force Base and the major petroleum pipelines that run along Highway 12. The Suisun Supercenter will be more than twice the size of the Chadbourne site and could easily put residents (and shoppers) at risk because of its proximity to pipelines and military planes. Suisun City staff and the City Council have fought the decision by the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission, which on Nov. 8 determined that the Supercenter project was inconsistent with the Travis Airport Land-Use Compatibility Plan. After many opportunities to come up with credible data, the city was unable to. However, it kept viewing the same data, expecting a different result. City officials were angry that they were not given more time to try to pound a square peg into a round hole. The mayor and the council were bitter losers. In an act of retribution, Mayor Pete Sanchez and Vice Mayor Jane Day sought to have airport commission chairman, John Foster, removed. Recently, the California Department of Transportation's Division of Aeronautics weighed in on the matter of Travis aviation safety. It stood firmly on the side of the airport commission. In a letter to the city, the department wrote: "We concur with the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission analysis that the project proposed will yield greater density and that will exceed the 300 persons-per-acre established criteria for projects within Traffic Pattern C." Regarding aviation fuel and petroleum pipelines near the site, the Pipeline Safety Trust, of Bellingham, Wash., has written a letter to Travis stating: "After reviewing the available information from Suisun City regarding the proposed construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter at the corner of Walters Road and State Route 12, along with all applicable pipeline safety regulations, we share [residents'] concerns .." The full letters can be found on our Web site (www.suisuncitizens.com), along with our position on the project. Surely any reasonable person can see this project is in the wrong location. The final public hearing in front of the City Council will begin at 5 p.m. Feb. 12 at Suisun City Hall. We encourage all Suisun residents to attend and participate in this important decision for our future. Dwight Acey, spokesman Suisun Citizens League Suisun City
It is gratifying to see the outpouring of support I have been receiving for my actions as chair of the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC). I thought I was on a "sleepy" commission; however, after we found the Wal-Mart site at Walters Road incompatible with Travis Air Force Base, things have been changing on the commission and around my home. The big event was the recent action by the mayors of Dixon, Vallejo, Rio Vista and Benicia. It was pretty exciting. Supporting someone they don't know and have never met, based only on principle and a sense of fairness, makes me humble and appreciative. Since then, calls from strangers, day and night, have been the norm at my house. Without exception, folks say they are "with me" and encourage me to "hang in there." That people would go to the effort to look me up and call a total stranger is amazing, and I am deeply touched by the calls I have received. Another recent development shook things up. Caltrans Division of Aeronautics wrote a forceful letter supporting the ALUC's position against Wal-Mart at the Walters Road site, and tossed a few barbs at the city of Suisun while they were at it. This letter is available from the city of Suisun or the County Department of Environmental Management, by calling 784-3170. Whether I remain on this commission or not, I feel truly blessed by such public outpouring of support. Thank you. John Foster Fairfield
I am a citizen of Suisun City and am greatly appalled at the mayor of Suisun, Pete Sanchez, for trying to remove the chairman of the Air Land Use Commission, John Foster. Mayor Sanchez had cited Mr. Foster for running "kangaroo court" concerning the public meeting on November 8, 2007 on whether the Wal-Mart project adheres to the land use compatability plan with Travis Air Force Base. The truth as I saw it because I had attended the meetings were, it was "kanagroo court," but not on the ALUC side, but on the applicant's side. When the first meeting concerning this issue on October 11, 2007, was held, one of the ALUC commissioners had asked specifically for better data to include pedestrians, bicyclist, and bus transit persons and I felt that question had merrit, after all, the supercenter is slotted to go into an almost entirely residential area as to where "foot traffic" is highly probable. The City Planners had plenty of time to obtain this information since the final d etermination was delayed, as asked for by the applicants until October 11, 2007. When November 8, 2007 came, the City Planners ignored the "foot traffic" request and also provided even different numbers of persons who will arrive by car. Whether it is 1.2, 1.5, or even 2.0 persons-the number of persons on that site given by the City Planners to the ALUC was erroneous-my question has always been-have you ever shopped at a Wal-Mart? It does not even have to be a supercenter, just a regular Wal-Mart-have you ever seen 1.2 persons get out of the car? It is usually families or at least Mom's with their 2.5 kids. That is exactly what the ALUC did-their own research- they went to Wal-Marts and counted. As outlined by John Foster's letter to the editor of the Daily Republic on July 13, 2007, their job is to ensure compatible land uses around airports-that is it-not to decide whether they like Wal-Mart or not. The ALUC did their job, the Wal-Mart is not compatible. The ALUCs prior rulings have been uphelded in the Supreme Court- surely this shows they know what they are doing and are an unbaised commission. They should be commended for doing the job they were appointed to do, not condemned. Laura Calderon Suisun City
The Solano County Airport Land Use Commission is an advisory body charged with the responsibility of ensuring that land uses around Solano County's airports are compatible with aircraft operations. With this goal in mind, the commission adopted an Airport Land Use Plan for Travis Air Force Base. The State Supreme Court has ruled that the Travis Land Use Plan is solid. It is unfortunate that the city of Suisun is attempting to politicize the decision of the Airport Land Use Commission's ruling that disapproves of the construction of a Wal-Mart store inside a danger zone surrounding Travis. The commission's task is to ensure that the Travis Land Use Compatibility Plan is adhered to and that danger zones close to the landing strip remain clear of points of dense population. It is more than clear that the population density of any big-box store at that location is in violation of the plan. When Suisun's claims of conformance were discredited at the October ALUC meeting, the commission gave the city another month to try and justify its position. Its presentation in November, complete with three consultants, failed to impress and the vote was taken: 5-2 to rule the Wal-Mart site in violation of the Land Use Plan. The two commissioners who were absent for the November vote stated at a later meeting that they agreed with the vote, making the commissioners 7-2 in agreement. CalTrans has written a letter to the ALUC in total agreement with its position on the Wal-Mart site. The matter should be closed, but politics has now entered the picture. Suisun's response is to "kill the messenger," in this case ALUC Chairman John Foster. And that's a very dangerous precedent for representative government and anyone who wants to keep Travis free from encroachment. Vern F. Van Buskirk Fairfield The author is past chairman of the Citizens Committee to Protect Travis AFB
Dear Editor Please don't allow a Wal-Mart to be built in Suisun City. As you know, there will be a super Wal-Mart store in Fairfield, so there is no need to build one in Suisun. I live in Lawler Ranch, near the proposed store location. I commute to work in San Ramon every day. I leave my house at 5 AM just to avoid the traffic congestion on Highway 12 during the morning and afternoon commutes. Wal-Mart will bring additonal traffic to this area that we do not need. As it is now, it is dangerous trying to cross or turn on Highway 12. I understand that Suisun, as any city, needs to generate revenue for the city; however, the City Council is filled with bright people who should be able to figure out a way to generate revenue without impacting our environment. That is why we voted for all of them. Please find another solution other than Wal-Mart, to generate revenue for Suisun City. John Henderson Suisun City
My husband and I were among the many supporters of John Foster who picketed on Jan. 16 in front of the restaurant where Solano County's mayors got together to make a decision on whether to remove him from his position as chairperson of the Airport Land Use Commission. Mr. Foster deserves better than what is going on. His interest is for the future of Travis Air Force Base and making sure the Travis Land Use Compatibilty Plan is adhered to. We were at the commission meeting on Nov. 8. Since Suisun City Vice Mayor Jane Day and the other mayors were not there that night, except for Suisun Mayor Pete Sanchez, I invite them to watch the video that was recorded that night and then make their judgment. Mr. Foster is being singled out when in fact five out of seven commissioners voted against the compatibility of the Wal-Mart Supercenter with the air base. Mr. Foster brought up research that he conducted that conflicted with the Draft Environmental Impact Report regarding the numbers of people that would be on the property. He invited response from the city staff to explain. With every issue he brought up, the Suisun City staff did not like it. Mr. Foster's research extended to going to a Wal-Mart Superstore, as did one of his fellow commissioners. They both compared the numbers that were given in the environmental impact report to what they observed. The number of people they observed was greater than what the report listed. I feel this is so unfair, what they are trying to do to him. He's an intelligent, professional and an honest person. This action proposed against him would endanger the integrity and unbiased decision-making of all future Airport Land Use commissioners. I want to thank and congratulate the mayors who helped postpone the decision to remove John Foster. Kudos to each of them. As Dixon Mayor Mary Ann Courville said ("Decision on airport chair delayed," The Reporter, Jan. 17 news story), regarding the removal of John Foster: "To me, it looks too close to a Wal-Mart decision. As much as you (Jane Day) are telling me it isn't retaliation, it's perceived that way to the public." Yes, Mayor Courville, it sure does. Anna Moscarelli Suisun City
Having read the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) that was just released to the public on January 10th concerning the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Suisun City, I was struck by several things. First was the sheer volume of the “Comment/Response” section … over 1,000 pages … in the report. While reading through the many letters, e-mails and other forms of communication from our citizens, it soon became evident that there were a substantial number of issues concerning the many “extra” things that Wal-Mart will bring to our town and they ran the entire gamut from crime to traffic, noise, air pollution, homeless encampments, asthma, cancer, abandoned shopping carts, inferior products, low wages, the Suisun Marsh, trash collection, Travis AFB, current infra-structure modifications, future maintenance fees, harmful environmental impacts, etc., etc., etc. But in reading their concerns, I couldn’t help but also notice one common thread that weaved itself throughout each and every person’s comments. And that was that each writer … whether through detailed, eloquent and lengthy wording in formatted letters or in short, right-to-the point statements on comment cards … was trying to express their sincere, genuine, heartfelt concerns and commitments to the health, safety and welfare of each and every resident of Suisun City and our entire community-at-large. Conversely, the other thing that struck me was the Suisun City Council’s role in this process, their lack of allegiance to our citizens and their inability to “Just say no” to the corporate giant from Arkansas. Just the fact that we’ve even gotten to this point where we, the people of this town, have to passionately … and sometimes emotionally … present our case to the city leaders as to why the Wal-Mart project would be detrimental to our community, seems to indicate that they (City Council) have already taken the side of Wal-Mart and that we have to convince them otherwise. I think that deep down in their souls our council members know that a Wal-Mart Supercenter at that location is not the best option … right in the middle of three residential neighborhoods … and that other alternative solutions to the site are out there just waiting to be explored. But they seem to be blinded by the lure of big money as a quick-fix to our financial challenges and want to believe that all the other “negative impacts” will somehow work themselves out. What I don’t think the council members realized is that this negative baggage is more important to us than money. And while Wal-Mart insists that it can mitigate … or at least partially mitigate … the impacts it will have on our community, the one thing they cannot mitigate is our loss of faith “in the system”, our loss of friendship toward one another, our loss of confidence in our leaders and our loss of “oneness” as a community. Finally, what concerns me the most, especially with all that we’ve been though together in making Suisun City a place we are all proud to call “home”, is that this process has put us all in an adversarial role against one another when we should all be working together for the common good of our community. What saddens me deeply is that with Wal-Mart as the major player in this equation, it has pitted friend against friend, neighbor against neighbor and has made us all lose a bit of faith and trust in our city leaders when we voted for them to look out for all of us. At this point in time, with all that has taken place … all the mistrust, power-brokering, deal-making and deception … I fear has created a wound that may never heal! Paul Hames Suisun City
(by John Foster Chairman of the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission) Regarding Suisun City's proposal for a big-box store near Travis Air Force Base, city staff made a presentation to the Airport Land Use Commission meeting on November 8. As one member of the ALUC that heard the presentation, and after reading published comments that have been made, some things need to be cleared up. The issue is simople. The proposed location is in the Travis AFB traffic pattern (Zone C), result in crowds of people that would be put at risk in the event of an aircraft mishap. A maximum of 300 persons per any single acre at any one time is one of the restrictions and calculations must show any project will not exceed the limit (i.e., be found "inconsistent" with the Travis land use plan). Last month, Solano County staff relied on expert information supplied by Suisun City and calculated that the project does not meet the safety standard and advised that the project be rejected by the ALUC. However, Suisun City asked for a continuance to the NOv. 9 meeting, and subsequently provided "new" information to be considered. A the meeting, the "new" information consisted of some changed assumptions plus survey data from as far back as 1990 (yes, 17 years ago) to support city staff's calculations. It could be said that this looked like an attempt to simply get "under" the 300 persons per-acre limit. Without the "new" assumptions and data, the project exceeds the safety standard. There were also several issues not addressed by the city, such as how to account for people arriving by bus or walking, and the potential for people to congregate inside the building. The basic issue remains that this is an intense use proposed in close proximity to Travis AFB. At stake is public safety, and protecting the Travis flying environment from inappropriate uses. Thus, it seems absolutely compelling to use sound, conservative, worst-case scenario data to evalute such a project. This is precisely what happened on Nov. 8, and why the project was found to exceed the safety standard. John Foster Fairfield
Not long ago, county and local officals brough their best arguments before the Base Realignment and Closure Commission in an effort to keep Travis Air Force Base open. If Travis had closed, it owuld have meant a major economic calamity for our county. Thankfully, they were successful. Now the base is being put at risk again by the decadently wealthy heirs to the Wal-Mart fortune and their pawns on the Suisun City Council. The Wal-Mart corporation plans to construct a 230,000 square foot Supercenter within walking distance of the base. A project of this calibre is clearly a violation of the Travis Airport Land Us Compatibility Plan. In fact, the county's odwn planners determined that it was inconsistent with land use rules at the Airport Land Use Commission meeting in October. Their calculations revealed an average of 1.7 persons per car at the site- which is over the limit, given the number of parking spaces alone. Upon learning this news, the meeting was postposed until November. In the interim, county staff met with Wal-Mart's high powered attorneys and Suisun City staff. Interestingly, county planners massaged the numbers down to 1.5 (just under the 1.61 limit). Fortunately, the Novemeber meeting brought out as standing roomonly crowd. Opponents of the wal-Mart proposal outnumbering supporters 5-to-1. Commission Chairman John Foster listened intently as county residents, many of them veterna Travis pilots, raised alarms about the project. Of the proponents who spoke, almost all publicly admitted a personal financial gain if the behmoth Supercenter is built. Chairman Foster and Commissioner Marty Stockard revealed, that Wal-Mart Supercenters do in fact far exceed the 1.5 per car figure - and do it often. I was saddened to read that Councilman Mike Hudson and Mayor Pete Sanchez are whinning about the commission's rulling ("Opposition to Wal-Mart questioned, " The Reporter, Nov. 13). It will not change the fact that Chairman Foster and the commission did the right thing. I would like to thank Chairman Foster and the commission for standing on the side of aviation saftey. Dwight Acey, Spokesperson Suisun Citizens League
The City of Suisun City failed their citizens in Quail Glen over twenty years ago. Our streets are sinking and cracking from moving soil. Driving on them in places is like being in a small boat in a chop. The City in their haste to okay this Sub-Division for the Developer, approved faulty land engineering for the streets and drainage pipes. No funds are available for repair has been the standard answer from the City. They are willing to go back to the past and use the same methods that failed Quail Glen. The Draft Environmental Impact Report omitted facts to hasten the Developers of Wal-Mart approval to build, and also to get the Airport Land Use Commission’s okay. The City knows about the 37 year old Travis AFB petroleum pipelines that have an Easement that goes parallel to Peterson Road on the developer’s property. This easement is twenty foot wide, which clearly states no building! Yet that was left off the DEIR. A break in this pipeline could kill people as one did in Walnut Creek a few years ago. Think about the financial impact a crack in the pipeline with an EPA spill would create around Quail Glen. Travis AFB had to halt the building of Jack-in-the-Box during construction on Highway 12 /Sunset Blvd years ago because it was being built over the pipeline. Peterson Road in that area has a 5-ton weight limit. That is because the utilities under it are not protected against the constant weight of 40-ton Big-Rig trucks. Of course the petroleum pipelines cross under the same street. That section of the road is the same section that the Big-Rigs of Wal-Mart will be using if built. The public street would be the City’s responsibility to improve and also the cost of making sure the pipelines are protected. The 4.6 acres 24 inch thick with steel concrete slab also would be close to the pipelines. How that huge weight on the soil and how soil movement reacts to the pipelines should have been important enough to be calculated in the DEIR. A phone call to the AFB Base Community Planner from the Suisun Alliance/Suisun Citizen League has found that they were not informed about the encroachment on their easement. They also did not find it reported in their DEIR given to them. They are now investigating. It just scares us that the City is bold enough to the take the chance of pushing the limits of Travis AFB by deciding what and when they are entitled to know about the encroachment on their easement. What if the Developer ran heavy equipment over it and cracked one of the pipelines? Could it be the one major incident that Washington DC would notice? The pipeline warning signs went up days later after we informed the City of their DEIR omission in the ALUC meeting. Travis AFB still has not heard from the City as of the 30th of November. Anthony Moscarelli Suisun Alliance/Suisun Citizen League
Suisun City Wal-Mart a likely disaster Now that the deadline is fast approaching with regard to our City Council's final vote on the Wal-Mart Supercenter project at Walters Road and Highway 12 in Suisun City, let's see what we know so far. First, according to Wal-Mart's draft environmental impact report, there will be an increase in crime, an increase in response time by the police and fire departments, an increase in traffic congestion, an increase in air pollutants and carcinogens, an increase in toxic chemicals and pesticides released into our water and the Suisun Marsh, an increase in noise, an increase in urban decay with the depreciation of property values, and an increase in the closures of some of our current existing businesses due to retail sales loss. Second, although not specifically addressed in the DEIR, since Wal-Mart anticipates attracting 'several thousand consumers per day' to its store, I think we can also expect an increase in collisions and/or fatalities on Highway 12 east toward Rio Vista. Even with the concrete barriers, putting hundreds of more cars on 'Blood Alley' is like inviting more tragic accidents. And finally, after realizing that the city planners and Wal-Mart used out-of-date and questionable statistical analysis to meet their people-per-acre criteria concerning operational safety issues, the Airport Land Use Commission ruled that the Wal-Mart project at that location was inconsistent with the mission of Travis Air Force Base and could negatively affect its future operation.
For those of you who only see Wal-Mart as 'the goose that laid the golden egg' in regard to tax revenue, you may come to realize that we all end up with 'egg on our face.' If any or all of the above-mentioned negative impacts come to pass, Suisun City may once again become known as 'one of the worst places to live' in Northern California, a reputation that it had 20 years ago. But wait, I forgot, at least we'll have a Wal-Mart Supercenter. And for those of you who oppose the Wal-Mart project for any of the above stated reasons, I urge you to call, write or e-mail your mayor and City Council members ASAP to voice your concerns. And definitely plan to attend the City Council meeting in January when the final vote will be taken to decide whether Wal-Mart . . . or our residents control the future of Suisun City. This is our community and your opinion does matter. But remember, once the votes are cast, we must live with all the consequences for many years to come. Paul Hames Suisun City
Recently C. D. Billings stated, in the Daily Republic, that he/she does not understand why some residents are set against Wal-Mart at the proposed Suisun location. The writer might want to read some of the Environmental Impact Report, which is available at the library and at Suisun City Hall. The reasons the neighborhood does not want this project are the unavoidable adverse environmental impacts. Operational emissions, greenhouse gas emissions and the cumulative air quality impacts do not meet the Bay Area Air Quality Standards. The neighborhood will be exposed to diesel fumes from the various delivery trucks (coming down Peterson Road within a few feet of our backyards) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on a daily basis, subjecting the residents to unhealthy levels of air pollution. The ongoing traffic noise created by the large number of cars traveling to and from Wal-Mart, in addition to the constant noise created by the store itself will be the end of our quiet neighborhood. The anticipated additional traffic will create even more of a nightmare on Highway 12 and will greatly impact the residential streets resulting in unavoidable queuing at the intersections on Highway 12 and Walters Road. No mitigation is available to reduce any of these serious adverse impacts. This project will certainly not improve the quality of life in the surrounding neighborhoods; it will have the opposite effect and greatly impact our daily life in a negative way. Wiltrud Torres Suisun City
I just read that the city manager says the new Wal-Mart is not in the direction of the runway at Travis. Is this person blind? I live right there and the site is at the end of the runway where KC-10s and C-5s take off every day. When a KC-10 takes off, it can be loaded with approximately 56,000 gallons of jet fuel. If something goes wrong, guess what would be in the direct line of fire. It is obvious the Suisun City council is thinking with their wallets rather than their heads. I knew when I bought my house there was a military base next door. How about the innocent shoppers in Wal-Mart? Who is responsible for them? Obviously, not our City Council! Everyone, remember their names. They are the ones who should be personally named in the lawsuit in case of an accident. Maybe it is time for a recall because they are not representing the citizens of Suisun City. Susan Miesner Suisun City
In a recent letter, the writer says 'I am struggling to understand why Wal-Mart would build two supercenters, one here in Suisun City and one on North Texas Street in Fairfield.' If you had read the April 30 cover story in Business Week, you'd know. Wal-Mart, as a company, has come to its own 'mid-life crisis' and has seen its same-store sales drop to a 1.9 percent increase, far below the gains of many of its competitors. To compensate for this, Wal-Mart has been adding stores. But this has not worked to its benefit and has in fact been detrimental. According to Business Week, 'On balance, the new supercenters are just not pulling in enough sales to offset fully the sharply escalating costs of building them. Part of the problem is that many new stores are located so close to existing ones that Wal-Mart ends up competing with itself.' So really, the only thing here to be understood is the impulse for Wal-Mart to try to build itself out of its crisis. The stores in close proximity will be detrimental to one another, and nobody will benefit, likely not even shareholders! Suisun City should instead focus on what it does well. The quality and variety of its one-of-a-kind restaurants are a delight, and the first place I think of going when I have guests. The marina in and of itself is an attractive place to visit. I often go there just for the walk. The post office is superior to the one in Fairfield, and my preferred place to do mailings. Service levels in the stores I visit seem to be higher than what is found in Fairfield, so I am more likely to shop there if a similar outlet is available. If Suisun City must bring in a big retailer, look instead to one that has a good reputation for service, which will be more compatible with the community, and which is a business that is not already duplicated in Fairfield. In any case, look beyond Wal-Mart for growth of the tax base. Kim A. Rodriguez Fairfield
Travis AFB could be closed by Wal-Mart Supercenters. This is happening around the country. The encroachment on them has us angered that it could happen here. Wal-Mart's supercenter, the size of four football fields, has the base colonel and the Airport Authority concerned about encroachment. The land-use agreement calls for no more than 300 people per acre. Chairman of the Solano County Airport Land Commission stated Wal-Mart would be inconsistent with that agreement. Four councilmember votes could overturn the land-use agreement. Let's hope that does not happen. If overturned, a referendum would start by a petition of at least 10 percent of registered voters. Travis is our largest employer, providing over $1 billion to the local economy and over 14,000 civilian jobs. Wal-Mart employees are lucky to work a full week so corporate can avoid paying medical benefits. Besides this, other businesses will eventually be run off. Wal-Mart's strategy is saturation marketing, which takes care of all competition. The $800,000 in yearly sales tax they claim it will produce will be drastically reduced if they build another in Fairfield, which they are planning to do. There will be a cost increase for the city with more police activity, emergencies, upkeep of roads, let alone Highway 12. Increased traffic will end up in our neighborhoods threatening our children's safety. This is obviously a tax drain, not a tax gain. Wal-Mart says the land in question is a critical habitat for endangered species and plants. The city-sponsored environmental report shows that the drainage ditch that runs through this land goes directly to our marsh. If this project was given an environmental grade it would be an 'F.' We do not want anything to affect the great Pacific flyway that runs right through our Suisun Marsh and Grizzly Island that hosts numerous international migrating birds from all over the world. Wal-Mart is a repeat violator of the Clean Water Act and has been sued for millions by the EPA. Violations include toxic rain water runoff and polluted rain water runoff from fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides stored outdoors in their garden centers. Sounds like just the place we need damaging our environment. As you can see, this just won't affect Travis, but the environment, too. We do not want our base to be put on Congress' BRAC Commission List to be shut down, which is what Wal-Mart's encroachment will do. No more commissary, no more veterans' hospital? Travis is a vital hub along with our wide-open spaces our community will not live without. Wal-Mart thinks it will bring wealth. Wealth is made by mining, agriculture and manufacturing, not retail. Retail only redistributes wealth. We are the shepherds of the land and our community. We should not be governed by and for corporations and we should remind our government they work for us not them. Angelo Cellini Suisun City
Regarding the proposed Wal-Mart at Walters Road and Highway 12, I have a question: How does the fit the philosophy espoused by our local elected leaders? The following is taken from the home Web page of Suisun City Council: "Suisun City has embraced the promise of the future by not forgetting the distinctive small-town qualities that makes the City one of Northern California's most distinctive communities. Using the pedestrian-friendly philosophy of New Urbanism and the architectural styles consistent with our history, Suisun City has created a unique, vibrant historic downtown and waterfront that has become a national showcase." Aside from the fact that they use "distinctive" to describe "distinctive" in the first sentence, this is a nice vision statement that describes why many of us find Suisun a charming place to live. So, does a super Wal-Mart parked on the corner of what amounts to a freeway that plows through the center of our community live up to this guiding vision? A super Wal-Mart fails to qualify as "distinctive" or "pedestrian friendly." A 40-acre parking lot and a monstrous blue and gray building is not compatible with the positive aspects of "new urbanism." Clearly, this project is at odds with the council's stated philosophy. My request is that the council reread their own published vision statement and ask themselves: "How are we living up to our own self stated vision as entertain these types of proposals?" Chris Iversen Suisun City
Today, I am standing with some jackrabbits, looking east over Walters Road at Highway 12 moving toward Rio Vista. All I can see is cattle grazing and wind turbines far away. Turning to the north, I see a convenience store, a church and the neighborhood of Quail Glen. Look west, Highway 12 passes between Quail Glen and Lawler Ranch towards Suisun City. Looking to the south, between me and the protected Suisun Marsh, is the 1,200-plus houses of Lawler Ranch.
If you thought rush hour traffic was bad yesterday,look at it now, each additional truck and car adding more pollution and noise to Suisun City. If I could see west far enough, I could see the abandoned stores in Heritage and Sunset Shopping Centers. Add them to the K-Mart and Food-Maxx on North Texas. There are appropriate places to build a super Wal-Mart. The residential neighborhoods of Quail Glen and Lawler Ranch are not these places. I know where I am and I know what I do not need in Suisun City. Do You? Richard Hanson Suisun City
Dear Assemblywoman Wolk, Thank you for your tremendous efforts over the past few months to improve safety and law enforcement along the section of California State Highway 12 between Suisun City and Rio Vista. Having been a voting resident of Suisun City for 14 years, and a daily commuter over Highway 12 for most of the past 8 years, I have seen some horrible auto accidents and way too much "stupid" driving on that road, and appreciate all efforts to make this vital economic artery a safer road to drive. I am quite upset about the huge negative impact that the proposed Wal-Mart Super Center for the corner of Walters Road and Highway 12 at the east end of Suisun City would have on the traffic safety efforts on Highway 12. The Suisun City city management and City Council do not appear to be willing to understand how detrimental to the traffic and safety problems on Highway 12 this project onthis specific site would be. I am especially upset by Suisun City Council member Sam Derting's comments on KGO-TV Channel 7 on Saturday June 2 where he stated "Whether we put one big box store or we put five or six (smaller) stores out there, they're still going to have the same traffic draw". When the KGO reporter asked Council member Derting about the problems with having the proposed Fairfield Wal-Mart Super Center less than 5 miles (actually 3 1/2 miles distant) from the proposed Suisun City Wal-Mart Super Center, he stated that "it doesn't matter because if the Suisun City Wal-Mart is approved, it will draw residents from Rio Vista". I have also recently learned that this proposed Wal-Mart Super Center at Walters Road and Highway 12 violates the land use policies in the buffer zone surrounding Travis Air Force Base, but that Wal-Mart and the Suisun City city management have asked for an exemption for the encroachment into the flight zones. After seeing the ecomomic destruction caused by base closings over the past 10 years throughout California, in part due to encroachment issues, the estimated $500,000 in yearly taxes that Wal-Mart has promised Suisun City from this proposed Suisun City Wal-Mart Super Center is not worth loosing the one and a half billion dollars that Travis Air Force Base brings into the Solano County economy each year. I urge you as our representative in the California Assembly to inform the Suisun City City Council and the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission that this planned Wal-Mart Super Center for Suisun City is a wholly inappropriate use of this property. Thank you for your time in attending to this concern. Wayne I. Monger Suisun City
The trade deficit with China is a major issue in the United States. The overwhelming size of it is devastating to the U.S. economy and to U.S. workers in particular. The Wal-Mart corporation has been a major contributor to this problem. In fact if Wal-Mart was a country it would be Chinas eighth largest trading partner! Wal-Mart is well known for its anti-unionism in the U.S. and in China (Taipei Times, 11/08/06). Suisun is considering bringing a Wal-Mart Super Center to Walters Road and Highway 12. My fear is that by supporting Wal-Mart we may be inadvertently handing our childrens future over to the Peoples Republic of China. As a Suisun resident, I dread the thought of Suisun participating in the erosion of good-paying jobs in the United States and the city itself destroying a great community. A Wal-Mart Supercenter will cause traffic problems, pay low-wage jobs and bring more crime. I urge the Suisun City Council and the Planning Commission to deny a permit to Wal-Mart. Jean Cain
I hope Suisun City will avoid the super Wal-Mart trap. Wal-Mart has cultivated a talent for courting unsuspecting cities in need of revenue. Wal-Mart is owned by a family that is among the 10 wealthiest in America. They got that way by exploiting communities from California to China and back. The Waltons specialize in attracting crime, paying unlivable wages, raiding county health insurance coffers and destroying local businesses for the sake of their decadent greed. Wal-Mart hopes to build a Super Wal-Mart at Walters Road in Suisun City. This matter will be before the city in early June. The Super Wal-Mart, at 175,000 square feet, will be double the size of their store on Chabourne. The Suisun City store will carry a full line of groceries and general merchandise, a garden center, a gas station, and an open air restaurant. The result will be the plywood death of the Sunset Shopping District, the ghettoization of local neighborhoods and a substantial increase in local taxes. For these reasons San Francisco, Martinez and Oakland have already outlawed Wal-Mart Super Centers. Suisun City can not afford to have its neighborhoods destroyed. Marie Lee Suisun City
I am appalled to hear that the Suisun City is planning to bring a Wal-Mart Super Center to Highway 12 and Walters Road. That is the last thing Suisun needs. Traffic on Highway 12 is currently so bad that the state Legislature is considering doubling the fines. Anyone who reads the newspapers knows that it is our version of Blood Alley. Highway 12 is known regionally for the huge number of deaths that have occurred there. What sense does it make to bring an estimated 30,000 extra cars and delivery trucks to Highway 12? Wal-Mart is already building a Supercenter in Fairfield just 6 miles away at Mission Village. Traffic at that location is expected to be at traffic grade 'D' levels meaning massive congestion. Imagine the impact on the two-lane Highway 12 and Walters Road during commute time! Suisun should reject the Wal-Mart Supercenter and consider another project. Yoshiko Tagami Suisun City
I believe that Wal-Mart Super Centers provide poor wages, horrible health benefits, increase crime and ruin the quality of life of residential communities. The Suisun Super Wal-Mart will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Imagine the police sirens and caravans of delivery trucks waking up nearby residents throughout the night. Nearby housing values will most likely be reduced in short order. That is the last thing we need. The devastating tornado that is a Super Wal-Mart will degrade our Sunset business district into what Fairfield's Mission Village is now. I feel sorry for the businesses on Sunset that will be forced to close their doors because their anchors (Raley's and Rite Aid) have shut down. Regardless, I feel even worse for those of us who live in Suisun City. We will have to contend with a nightmare. George Guynn Jr. Suisun City
I have lived here in Suisun for about 5 years and I love it. I moved here specifically for its innocent, small-town appeal, small shops and restaurants and lack of big stores everywhere. I love seeing open fields and cattle grazing nearby. Please help us prevent the building of a Wal-Mart Super Center in our sweet little town. There's already a Wal-Mart in Fairfield and Vacaville. We don't need another one so close, much less one that would take up so much room. The existing ones are in business parks where they belong, not in the middle of a neighborhood. I do not wish to see the value of my home decrease either. Surely the horrors this would bring are obvious. They want to build a super Wal-Mart in Fairfield, too? Why not just rename Fairfield "Wal-Mart-field"? "Vaca-mart" will be next. Wal-Mart is not a business that has a city's best interest at heart. I do not want the additional crime, litter, traffic and noise that would accompany this business; it would simply ruin our towns' sweet atmosphere. Please do not allow them to ruin our cities for their profit. John Ward Suisun City
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As the largest employer in Solano County, with about 15,000 employees (including 3,554 civilian jobs) and generating more than $1.5 billion dollars a year in revenue, the closure of Travis would be devastating to our community. Remember Mare Island?
Tomorrow, I may be standing in a super Wa-lMart
parking lot looking at the lines of 18-wheelers going up and down Highway 12 with deliveries and the hundreds of cars looking for the lowest price.